Chipotle just opened a test kitchen that serves margaritas and queso — here's what it's like to visit

Chipotle just opened a location that features menu items you can't find anywhere else.

Despite years of reluctance, Chipotle is finally testing queso. But you can only find it in one location: the chain's only public test kitchen, which opened Monday in New York City.

In addition to queso, the location is also testing frozen margaritas and new salads.

Eager for answers and liquid cheese, we dashed to the nearby test kitchen.

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The test kitchen, called Chipotle Next Kitchen, is in Manhattan on the corner of Sixth Avenue and 13th Street.

Hollis Johnson

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Wandering in, you'd think it's just a run-of-the-mill Chipotle, complete with the standard fast-casual decor and the lunchtime rush.

Hollis Johnson

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But there's one thing that you won't find at any other Chipotle in the world: queso.

Hollis Johnson

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On first bite, the difference between this all-natural queso and the standard Tex-Mex variety is immediate. While the typical Velveeta-based dip is smooth and elastic in its cheesy richness, this cheddar-based version has a grainy texture more reminiscent of a roux-based sauce.

Hollis Johnson

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No Insta-worthy cheese pull here — the queso is viscous and texturally closer to a chowder than nacho cheese. However, that's not necessarily an insult. The savory, rich flavors are all present, with a slow, pleasant, smoky burn.

Hollis Johnson

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While the lack of elasticity is disappointing to queso traditionalists, when it's added to a burrito, these textural flaws are all but forgotten.

Hollis Johnson

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The cheesy sauce adds a heavy richness that permeates the burrito and brings out a more umami-like earthiness from the meat and beans. For a chain that has long been weak when it comes to cheese, this is a marked improvement.

Hollis Johnson

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While queso wasn't the show-stealer here, there are other innovations Chipotle is trying in the test kitchen.

Hollis Johnson

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Margaritas are also on the menu — both a classic version and a strawberry nonalcoholic take. Both are delicious; the classic is not too sweet and not too sour, and the strawberry one is delightfully refreshing on a hot summer's day.

Hollis Johnson

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The new avocado vinaigrette dressing is being tested atop a spring greens mix, a departure from the usual romaine salad base. It's tasty, with more hints of citrus than of avocado.

Hollis Johnson

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At the end of the day, the queso is the big draw. If you want the classic, cheese-pull dip that is the jewel in the crown of Tex-Mex cuisine, look elsewhere. But if your usual burrito order needs a little something extra, perhaps paying the extra $1.25 is worth the trip.